Showrunner Jeremy Carver described the character as "cool and mysterious" and "part of a new group of angels we've never seen before".

Tapping will make her debut in the season's seventh episode, titled 'A Little Slice of Kevin'. The 47-year-old English-born Canadian star played Samantha Carter on Stargate SG-1 and reprised her role in various spinoffs.

She also starred in recently-axed Syfy series Sanctuary and has appeared in episodes of The X Files and Due South.

Veteran actor Mike Farrell - best known for his role on the television version of M*A*S*H - has also been cast on Supernatural. The 73-year-old will play a "mentalist with a slippery grasp on reality" in the new run's eighth episode.

Supernatural returns to The CW on Wednesday, October 3 at 9/8c and airs on Sky Living in the UK.